US2242401A - Siphon - Google Patents

Description

May 20,1941- M. H. LOUGHRIDGE 2,242,401

SIPHON Filed Aug. 6, 1958 2 sheets-sheet 1 www ,7///// ATTORNEY.

May 20, 1941. M H. LOUGHRIDGE 2,242,401

SIPHON Filed Aug. 6, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 -257 Hl I 246 l 29@ ATTORNEY.

Patented May 20, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SIPHON Matthew H. Loughridge, Bogota, N. J.

Application August 6, 1938, Serial No. 223,514

7 Claims.

This invention relates to a Siphon System for controlling the flow of liquids by gravity. An object of the invention is to provide a Siphon attachment for closed containers; another object is to provide a Siphon attachment for-.closed containers with a valve that is operated by the attachment and another object of the invention is to provide a Siphon attachment for a container with means for controlling the Siphon.

Other objects of the invention will be more particularly understood from the following Specification and the accompanying drawings Showing several forms of the invention.

Fig. 1 is a vertical elevation, in section, of the Siphon attachment;

Fig. 2 is a cross section of the to-p member of the attachment at right angles to Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is an elevation and Fig. 4 is a plan View from the bottom of the valve member;

Fig. 5 is a cross Section on line |5-I5, Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a detail and Fig. 7 is a closed container to which the Siphon has been attached.

Fig. 8 is a modied form shown in elevation, and partly sectioned, of the Siphon attachment, and

Fig. 9 is an elevation corresponding to Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 shows a Siphon and tank, partly sectioned, with a valve on the intake.

The present invention is, in part, a continuation of the invention in my coi-pending applications as follows:

Serial No. 755,841, December 3, 1934, now Patent No. 2,131,743, granted October 4, 1938; Serial No. 47,045, October 28, 1935, now Patent No. 2,171,579, granted Sept. 5, 1939; Serial N0. 115,149, December 10, 1936, now Patent No. 2,196,999, granted Apr. 16, 1940.

This invention is of general application for controlling the flow of liquids by the well known Siphon arrangement. As disclosed in Figs. 1 to 10, it is applied to a closed container and enables the liquid contents of the container tobe removed without exposing the liquid and without opening the container except when the Siphon is attached thereto. This construction is important in handling inflammable liquids, or liquids that give off poisonousor explosive fumes.

Detachwble Siphon for closed containers The illustrations show a detachable Siphon for closed containers and which is particularly useful for containers for volatile liquids which evaporate and increase the internal pressure. In the construction shown the internal pressure of the container is used to start the Siphon which is thereafter continued until the container has been emptied. A Venturi nozzle is also provided on the Siphon which may be used for starting the Siphon if internal pressure is absent. Any suitable means may be used to Start the Siphon.

The apparatus comprises a head Secured to the top cover of the container and having a pipe eX- tending therefrom to the bottom of the container. This head contains a Spring controlled Valve which is normally Seated in the closed position and in this position the container is Shipped. When part of the contents is to be removed from the container, the Siphon tube is attached to the head with a pivotal and locking attachment so that as it is brought into place it unseats the valve and provides the direct connection between the pipe in the tank and the outside portion of the Siphon. By a rotary motion or other means the Siphon attachment is locked in place and the control of the ow to the Siphon is regulated by a valve in the head which may be operated to break the Siphon when the flow is to be discontinued. In order to apply the apparatus to a tank that has no internal pressure and that depends upon atmospheric pressure tomaintain the Siphon, a conduit is provided leading to the interior of the tank and controlled by the Siphon attachment or by a check valve to supply air as required.

'Ihe Siphon is provided with a Venturi nozzle at the discharge end Whereby'an air blast may be used to start the Siphon. A Venturi nozzle is also provided in the head of the device whereby an air blast may be used to operate the apparatus as a Siphon pump in which the ilow continues as long as the air blast ismaintained.

In the drawings, the closed tankis indicated at 225, which is i'llled through the plug 22B and is provided with the head 221, having the nozzle 228 connecting to the pipe 229 which discharges through the Venturi nozzle at 230. 'I'he pipe 23| extends into the interior of tank 225 and this pipe, with pipe 229, forms a Siphon of the usual type.

The head' 227 is provided with a ilange which rests on the cover 225 and is secured thereto by the threaded end and the Securing nut 233 engaging the gasket 232. The upper end of the head 227 has a collar 234 formed thereon and in which the valve member 234e slides as controlled by Spring 242 engaging the collar 243 screwed into the head 221. The valve 234a has a bevelled upper end as indicated at 235 and has a central opening 262 from the upper end which connects with the transverse openings 238 and 239. 'I'he lower part of the valve is provided with a collar 236 having apertures at 231 so as to connect the space 24| with the space below the valve. The head 221 is provided with a ange 245 upon which the collar 246 is seated and is rotatable thereon. This collar has a pair of lugs 246a supporting the pivot pin 255. The collar 246 has a slot therein at 241, Fig. 1, which, when in a predetermined position, registers with the conduit 248 passing through the head 221 into the-interior of the tank.'

A second collar 249 is placed on top of the collar 246 and is secured in place by the 'screw ring 25|). Collar 249 is provided with arcuate ledges as indicated in Fig. with a gap at 25| and it is also provided with a screw 253 which enters a slot in the head 221 to make this collar non-turning, but to leave suiiicient vertical movement so that it can be tightened upon collar 246.

The attachment comprises the cover 258 and the nozzle 228 which is secured to the head through the hinge member 251 engaging pin 255, the lower end of this member being formed in a semi-circle for this purpose as indicated at 256. The opposite side of the cover 258 has a depending arm 252 with a slot therein to receive the arcuate projections of the collar 249 so that when the cover engages the pin 255 and the arm 252 is passed through the opening at 25| and the head rotated in either direction, it is locked in place.

The cover 258 has an internal nozzle at 259 upon which the gasket 26| is secured by the nut 26D. It will be noted from Fig. 1, which shows the valve in the open position, that the cover 258 has displaced the Valve and forms a continuous sealed connection from the port of the v valve through the orifice 263 to the second pipe, and which completes the siphon from the pipe 23| in the tank. The spring 242 holds the valve 234e against the gasket 26| and maintains the seal. vAs soon as the cover 258 is removed the valve 234e is raised by spring 242, thereby closing the transverse connections 233 and 239 which are now raised within the collar 234 and thus closing the orice of the tank until it is to be used again.

As indicated in Fig. 2, a Venturi nozzle is provided in the cover 258, comprising the member 264, screwed into 258, and having a stem at 265 to which an air hose may be connected to force an air blast through the aperture 268. A valve 256 is seated by spring 261 to close the outer end of the orice 258 for normal operation. When it is desired to break the siphon the valve 266 is unseated -by the stem 269 and air is admitted through port 219 to break the Siphon. It should be noted that the air blast forced through the nozzle 268 will unseat valve 265 automatically.

The tanks are shipped provided with the heads 221 which may be protected by a suitable cover. When received, this cover is removed and the Siphon cover 258 is applied to unseat valve 234e and if there is sufficient internal pressure the siphon is automatically started from this pressure. A valve may be provided in pipe 229 to regulate the flow. This valve is not shown in the drawings. If the internal pressure becomes low as indicated by a slowing up of the ow through the Siphon, the cover 258 is rotated in one direction to register the opening 241 with 243 and thereby restore atmospheric pressure to the interior of the tank. If atmospheric pressure is not required the cover 258 is rotated in the opposite direction to avoid the slot 241 registering with 248. When the cover is brought into the position shown in Fig. 5, that is, to the position in which it is removed, the slot 241 is then out of register with 248 and this passage is closed. The siphon may be started by an air blast applied to the Venturi nozzle 230 at the discharge end of the Siphon.

In this construction the valve 234a is automatically closed and stands normally closed by the action of spring 242 and by the internal pressure in the tank. 'Ihis valve cannot readily be unseated except by the use of the siphon attachment and as this attachment is removed the valve is automatically closed. The contents of the container cannot be spilled as the pipe 23| passes down to the bottom of the container. The conduit by which the liquid is drawn off is at all times closed until it reaches the discharge nozzle and fire hazards are thereby minimized, and with proper care the liquid cannot be spilled or wasted. This apparatus can be used for tanks of alcohol, naphtha, or volatile liquids and by the construction which establishes atmospheric pressure in the tank it may be used as a siphon for ordinary liquids.

The body 221 is applied to the top of the tank and contains the spring seated valve which normally remains in a closed position. This body oiTers little obstruction on the outside of the tank and is not likelyv to be accidentally displaced, or to cause a leak. The valve is unseated by the attachment of the head 258 with the discharge part of the siphon tube. As this head is removed the valve is closed. The head with the controlling mechanism for starting and stopping the siphon is located at the top of the tank and is removed with the siphon tube that is outside the tank. There is no permanently established closed siphon to start a leak if the siphon tube is injured.

In the modied form in Fig. 8 the head is shown with a cap thereon as used for shipping purposes, a cam form of lock is used to secure the head in place and a check valve is used for controlling the air supply to the interior of the container. In the construction shown, the collar 246 is provided with a ledge 285 and is non-turnable. The attachment 258 is provided with a lug 286 which engages the collar 285 at 281 and it is provided with an opposing lug 283 which by pivot 289 secures the cam 298 that is operated by handle 29| to engage the collar 285 and lock the cover in place without rotating it.

When the Siphon attachment 258 is removed the hollow cover 280 is screwed on the threaded end of the stem 221 and seats on the gasket 28| to form a seal, the iiange 282 of this cover protects the end of the device. The conduit 248, Fig. 8, is provided with a spring seated check valve 284 opening inwardly so that if the pressure in the container is reduced below atmospheric pressure the check valve 284 automati- V cally opens and restores this pressure and thereby maintains the Siphon.

In certain siphon applications the liquid supply at times may be reduced or exhausted, and in order to avoid breaking the siphon under these conditions, the arrangement in Fig. 10 may be used for the receiving end of the siphon. In this lconstruction the liquid in the tank 225a supports the float 293, which, by lever 294, operates the valve 295 on the receiving end of the Siphon 229 and when this valve is closed a portion of the liquid is held in the trap 296 which maintains the liquid in the siphon tube up to the bend.

The weight of the float 293 and lever 294 is sufcient to hold the valve 295 closed when the liquid is exhausted from the tank 225a, but as the liquid rises in this tank the iloat 293 is lifted and the valve 295 is opened to connect with the liquid in the tank. The valve does not open until the liquid in the tank is above the orince.

The nozzle 23B of the siphon may be any device that will start the siphon, such as a pump, or a venturi that will exhaust or partially .exhaust the air in the siphon pipe.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A siphon system for closed containers, comprising a hollow body in sealed connection with the top of the container and having an orifice with a spring seated valve, a tube extending from said body to substantially the bottom of the container, a ledge on said ibody, a head detachably latched to said ledge and a tube secured to said body by said head and forming with the tube in the container a siphon and means for unseating said valve when the head is attached to the body.

2. A siphon system comprising a container, a hollow body connected with the top of the container and having an orice with a spring seated valve, a tube sealed to and extending from said body to substantially the bottom of the container, a ledge on said body, a head pivoted at one side to said body to swing over the top of said body and detachably latched to said ledge, a pipe secured to said head and forming with the tube in the container a siphon for emptying said container when the head is secured to said body, said head displacing said valve to complete the connection between said tube and pipe, as said head is latched to said body, means in said siphon for starting the siphon and means for stopping the siphon.

3. A Siphon system comprising a closed container, a hollow body in sealed connection with the top of the container and having an orifice, a tube extending from said body to substantially the bottom of said container, a head for said body, a tube secured to said head and forming with the tube in the container a siphon for emptying said container when the head is secured to said body and an independent vent for said container controlled by said head.

4. A Siphon system comprising a sealed container, a tube extending through the wall of said container into the container and sealed to said wall, a removable head for said tube, a pipe secured to said head and forming with the twbe in the container a siphon for emptying the container when the head is secured to the tube, means for locking said head on said tube by rotating the head on the tube and a vent for said container independent of said tube controlled by the rotation of said head.

5. A siphon system comprising a sealed container, a tube extending into said container and sealed thereto, a removable head for said tube, a pipe secured to said head and forming with the tube in the container a Siphon for emptying the container when the head is secured in place, means for locking said head to said tube by rotating the head in either direction from a central point and a vent for said container opened when the head is rotated in one direction and closed when the head is rotated in the opposite direction.

6. A Siphon system comprising a container, a tube extending through the wall of said container into the container, a removable head for said tube located on the top of the container, a pipe secured to said head and forming with said tube a siphon for emptying the container when the head is in place, means for locking said head to said tube and a nozzle in said head for starting the Siphon.

7. A Siphon system comprising a container, a tube extending into said container, a hollow body secured and sealed to the end of said tube and connected with the top of the container, having, a valve with a sliding stem in said body for opening and closing said tube, biased means for holding said valve in the closed position, a head for said body pivotally connected at one side to said body to swing over the top of said body and latched in place at the opposite side, a pipe secured to said head and forming with said tube a siphon for emptying the container, said head engaging said valve as it is moved to the latching position and moving it against its bias to open the siphon.

MATTHEW H. LOUGHRIDGE.

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